Nokia N86 8MP reviewed, "arguably the best device that money can buy"

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 24th 2009 at 8:18PM

For anyone firmly planted in the touch world, the N86 8MP may feel like a bit of a step backwards -- but as non-touch Nokia smartphones go, the N86 8MP represents a new high end, outdoing the N85 and possibly beating the final nail into the coffin of the aging N95 series. The dual slider's just been released over in the UK, and All About Symbian has done its typically fantastic job of breaking the phone down to the nitty gritty. Anyone used to the N95's well-documented creakiness will be pleasantly surprised, as AAS reports that the N86 8MP is one of the most solid phones Nokia has made to date (they've been getting better for a while now, we'd say), though the added chunkiness over the N85 might be a big drawback for some -- especially considering that it's essentially the same phone as the older model other than the better camera and the active kickstand. In the final analysis, the camera output looks very good (though perhaps not quite as good as the variable aperture and Carl Zeiss optics had us hoping) and AAS comes away with the conclusion that it could be the "best device money can buy" -- assuming, of course, that you're cool with S60 3.2 and touch isn't your bag.

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Symbian, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Tags: n86, n86 8mp, N868mp, nokia, slider

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

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alex @ Jun 24th 2009 8:25PM

I agree :)

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murmermer @ Jun 24th 2009 8:51PM

either they have never used an iPhone 3gS or are biased towards Symbian phones

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Omagus @ Jun 24th 2009 10:04PM

Could it be possible that either *you* have never used a Nokia N86 or are biased toward Apple?

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Renegade Fanboy @ Jun 25th 2009 1:12AM

which part of the "non-touch" did you not understand?
Or the 8 MP? Or the variable aperture?

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Travis @ Jun 24th 2009 8:53PM

The 3GS has a 3 megapixel camera. Last time I checked, 3 is a smaller number than 8.

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Anthony @ Jun 24th 2009 9:03PM

I believe you're correct. But megapixels aren't everything. I'm seriously considering an iPhone now as 3mp is "good enough" & while I love Nokia (having had virtually all N series up to the N79) I'm just ho hum these days. They don't seem to be moving forward at all (3 extra megapixels, but it's just not about the hardware anymore). N95 was groundbreaking. It was the first really amazing smartphone in terms of features. However, after having the N95, N95-3, then the 8gb, N82, E71, N79.. I haven't seen anything but a shell change.

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jnovak @ Jun 25th 2009 1:38AM

yes, mega pixels are not everything. you do need to take into concideration the track records of previous nokia devices and apple devices when it comes to reception. when you take these into concideration nokia wins every time.

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alex @ Jun 24th 2009 9:15PM

I agree with you Anthony, but for an individual who has a 3 year old Ericsson with 3.2 MP camera and am in the market for a new phone with great camera, great build quality, GPS, etc (i dont want touchscreen or QWERTY) so i do believe this phone does market itself well with individuals like myself.

I think it all depends what your looking for. If your looking for a great camera phone and not so concerned with software and UI then this phone is definitely worth looking at.

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KO @ Jun 24th 2009 9:22PM

I completely agree with you on one thing, Anthony: it really depends on what you're looking for. The iPhone is a great device in its own rank, but it simply isn't the solution for everything and every cell phone buying individual out there. While I also agree with some of the other comments here in that Nokia has stood still on some levels for a bit too long, they can still make solid products, and between their 50+ devices there are more choices for more needs than what the iPhone can offer. If you're looking for a great imaging device, the iPhone is simply NOT the best choice for you.

I'm also excited to see how the Sony Ericsson Satio performs.

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